English and Englishes in the Philippines: A World Englishes Approach to MTBMLE
Isabel Pefianco Martin, Ateneo de Manila University
Abstract
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In the past two years since DepEd Order 74 (series 2009) was implemented, teacher
training sessions have been conducted that focussed on the development of teaching
strategies and the preparation of instructional materials for teaching in multilingual settings.
One area of utmost concern among basic education teachers, and often a source of anxiety
to both teachers and parents, is how to approach the teaching of English using the first
language (L1). This presentation hopes to address these concerns by proposing a World
Englishes (WE) ...view middle of the document...
This means that that there are more nonnative than native speakers of the English language. Consequently, there are more nonnative (NNEST) than native teachers of English in the world today.
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There is a massive number of people learning English today. This number may peak at 2
billion within the decade . (Graddol 2006)
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English learners are increasing in number and decreasing in age. (Graddol 2006)
In addition to the facts presented above, speakers of English may be grouped into
three, following Braj Kachru’s (2006) three concentric circles.
The Expanding Circle:
China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt, South America, Zimbabwe
The Outer Circle:
Bangladesh, Kenya, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia,
Philippines, India, Singapore, Nigeria
The Inner Circle:
USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand
The domains of English in these three groups of speakers are summarized in the following
Table of Functional Domains (Kachru 2006).
FUNCTIONS
INNER
OUTER
EXPANDING
Access codes
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Advertising
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Corporate trade
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Paper presented at the Panel Presentation on ENGAGING ELT IN THE MTBMLE DISCOURSE
2nd Philippine Conference - Workshop on MTBMLE, 16 February 2012, Iloilo City
(page 2)
Development
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Government
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-
Linguistic impact
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Literary creativity
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Literary renaissance
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News broadcasting
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Newspapers
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Scientific higher education
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Scientific research
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Social interaction
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(Kachru 2006)
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What do these realities tell us about English in the world today? First of all, native
speakers of English clearly do not control developments in the language. Kachru writes: “It is
a reality that the sun has already set on the Empire but does not set on the users of
English.” (Kachru 2006) The concentric circle model (first introduced by Kachru in 1985),
which takes a geographical-historical perspective, as well as a functional approach, in
grouping English speakers throughout the world, is considered to have radically challenged
the traditional categories of native and non-native speakers of the language. By doing so, the
model questions the dominance of beliefs that ownership of the language reside among the
native speakers. !
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Second, these realities about the English language tell us that English will behave like
any other language that is dynamic and alive--it will change. And these changes (or
innovations) will be simultaneous and will come from a multitude of sources. The language
will evolve, and has in fact already evolved into different varieties referred to as Englishes.
Paper presented at the Panel Presentation on ENGAGING ELT IN THE MTBMLE DISCOURSE
2nd Philippine Conference - Workshop on MTBMLE, 16 February 2012, Iloilo City
(page 3)
!
These are the...